Clarett appeals draft ban

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Maurice Clarett filed an emergency appeal with the United States Supreme Court yesterday to try to force his way into this weekend's NFL draft.

Clarett's attorney, Alan Milstein, asked for a stay of Monday's decision by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals preventing the former Ohio State tailback from entering the draft.

"We're hoping justice will prevail and Mr. Clarett will play football -- which is what he was born to do," Milstein said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press. Clarett led Ohio State to a national title as a freshman but was ruled ineligible as a sophomore for accepting money from a family friend and for lying about it to NCAA and university investigators.